It became routine.

It became familiar.

They adjusted almost naturally to each other, Suzume and the Sand Siblings. It was as if the puzzle had been missing a piece and now the entire picture was complete. At least, that's what it felt like to Kankuro.

Being the middle child, he'd witnessed everything and came to understand more easily. He'd watched his sister be weighed down with the responsibilities as the oldest child of the Kazekage and to uphold their image on one end, and he'd watch his little brother murder ruthlessly and crumble that effort on another. He'd also known and not known his mother. He had respected and disrespected his father, not completely agreeing with his methods and then again, who was he to say? He was filled with all of these contradictions and had felt like a rubber band stretched this way and that, waiting for the moment for it to snap.

But now...

They're smiling.

Kankuro had wanted nothing more than to see his family happy, as cliché as that was. But wasn't that everyone's goal? Happiness. But that was nearly impossible for this family full of conflicting egos. Their mother, as far as he knew, had been the only mediator. But she died.

And so began the days of tension, of silent dinners, and simply living. Kankuro tried to support himself to give Temari less concern, but they had had a close bond ever since Gaara entered their lives. They looked after the other, usually without the other's knowledge, and had become their sibling's pillar, the reason they kept living.

The aftermath of the Invasion of Konoha had been the first step. Gaara transformed. Kankuro couldn't even wrap his mind around it. There were instances when Gaara would ask Kankuro if he was okay after he had gotten hurt on a mission when usually Gaara would tell him if he was too injured to move, he'd kill him and move on. Temari couldn't believe it when Gaara's sand saved her from what would've been a bone breaking fall. His glares became stares and his cold tone mellowed out.

But even then, the two siblings had a hard time adjusting to this new Gaara. They would be scared that something would trigger him to revert back to his old self. Recently, the redhead had decided to become an intern at the institution. Kankuro and Temari agreed to do the same. Perhaps that was their way of expressing concern and support. If anything, they were curious. Curious to see if those days of fear were over and if they could actually achieve that goal that they had been scared to hope for and express out loud.

What if... what if they could become a family?

They became comfortable around their kid brother. The pair no longer had to tiptoe their way around him, albeit if either of them were alone with Gaara they would have no idea what to say to break the suffocating atmosphere. There were still too many egos. They were still a long way off.

And then... Suzume entered. Entered into their lives, entered into their minds, entered their hearts.

She had become their mediator. Because of her, the trio advanced farther and swifter than what they had imagined. She had been that piece to complete the puzzle.

. . .

"Kankuro! Get off your ass and wake Suzume up!" Temari called from the kitchen as she grabbed the carton of milk from the refrigerator. "We're going to be late!"

Kankuro was still limply lying stomach down on the sofa in the living room.

"Oi! Kankuro!" Temari barked. "Kankuro!"

No response.

"KANKURO!" Temari roared as Gaara calmly blocked his ears against the sound waves.

"Alright, alright! I'm going, woman!" Kankuro groaned as he flipped off the sofa and got to his feet. One eye closing in his habitual way, he lugged his disheveled self down the hallway.

He knocked on Suzume's door, although hardly expecting a response. He let himself in after a good minute and walked up to his sister's bed. As always, he's impressed by her reality bending bedhead.

She was out cold.

Kankuro stood there quietly staring before he spread out his arms like he was imitating a bird in flight and began to fall forward.

Suzume was rudely pulled out of sleep at the impact of her brother's weight landing on her like a bomb.

"Kankuro-sama!" she wheezed. "You're heavy!"

"Are you insinuating that I am fat?" Kankuro said in mock hurt. "I've never been more offended in my entire life."

"Please get off!"

"Not until you promise to get out of bed, jan."

"Okay! Okay, I will!"

Kankuro stood back up and Suzume sat pouting on her bed. "Couldn't there have been a less painful way?"

"Nope," Kankuro deadpanned, he held up a wise pointer finger. "Temari's banshee voice doesn't work, Gaara using a megaphone didn't work, drawing on your face didn't work, poking you doesn't work, threatening you with rattlesnakes didn't work-"

Suzume sweatdropped. "What have you guys been doing while I was asleep?"

Kankuro stood outside the restroom as Suzume brushed her teeth and washed her face. "Why do you sleep so much, anyway, jan?"

Suzume dried off her face and reached for the face lotion. "I'm not sure, Kankuro-sama."

"Oi..." Kankuro peered around the doorway, his eyes cut in half by his eyelids. "What are you sure of?"

"I'm a human," she answered proudly.

Kankuro anime fell. "That's too obvious, jan..."

He ruffled her hair as he walked back out the door. "Hurry up and get ready."

The young girl stood vacantly in the bathroom. "Huh?"

Kankuro's voice faded as he went down the corridor . "We're meeting Baki today. Did you forget?"

Suzume blinked for a few seconds, registering his words. The male brunette heard a frantic yell and a thud as his sister hastily began to get ready. He sighed, a small smile on his face as he shook his head in exasperation.

Kankuro returned back to the living room to see Gaara and Temari waiting in the living room. All three of them were wearing casual baggy black long sleeved, collared shirts with slight v-necks. Temari was wearing a skirt that reached above her knees while the boys had on pants. The redhead had fishnet sticking out of the sleeves and neckline and Temari had her hair tied up into her signature four ponytails hair style. Kankuro himself had forsaken his usual face paint and his cat hoods (yes, he had multiple ones) were hung up on the clothesline after being washed.

"Is she awake?" Gaara asked.

There was a rather large and reverberating crash from down the hall. "Does that answer your question?" Kankuro smirked.

"She was probably up all night worrying about meeting Baki," Temari headed toward the mudroom.

"That sounds about right," Kankuro exchanged a knowing grin with Gaara who just responded with a nod.

The pair went to join their blond sister.

Suzume emerged from her room and ran around searching for her umbrella which she seems to have misplaced.

"Where is it?" she muttered under her breath as she opened the closet. It wasn't there. She clicked her tongue in impatience as she closed the door again.

Hisoka padded up to her and meowed. Suzume turned around to have her eyes land on her cat friend. Once she got her attention, the blue cat gracefully climbed up the stairs.

"Do you know where it is, Hisoka?" Suzume ran after the animal.

Hisoka led her to the supply closet and Suzume finally remembered that she had abandoned the umbrella in there after having brought it to the second floor on accident. Her expression brightened as she grabbed it. She bent down and hugged the blue cat.

"Thanks, Hisoka!"

The cat flicked its ear and looked to the side, appearing to be embarrassed.

"Suzume! We have to go!" Temari's voice called.

"Hai!" Suzume released the cat and rushed back to the staircase.

The young brunette felt the ground from under her vanish. "Ah..."

A tumbling sound and a final bang called the sand ninja to run back into the main part of the house.

"Suzume?!" Kankuro's eyes were filled with panic as were the others as they rounded the corner.

Suzume was in a tangle on the floor, her face scrunched up in pain. "Itai..." she looked down to see that the umbrella had split in half like a twig and sat bolt upright. "Ah! My umbrella!"

. . .

The streets were bustling with eager shoppers and merchants. Heat waves littered the air and the sun's fire was attempting to cook the humans under it. At least, that's what it felt like to Suzume.

"Kankuro-sama..." Suzume's impassive voice was spiced with a bit of mortification. "This is really humiliating."

The cat ear on Suzume's hood bent slightly as the ride continued, the damp cotton working to keep Suzume's head cooled, if only just a little. In addition to wearing Kankuro's cat eared hood that was still a bit wet from the wash, the owner himself was giving the young girl a piggyback ride. Even if she had Kankuro's hood, she still couldn't walk properly in the especially hot weather that day.

"Really?" Kankuro grinned. "I think it's cute, jan."

"People are staring," Suzume told him meekly.

"Nani?! People dare to stare at my adorable little sister?! Temari, hold my purse!"

Temari, who was walking beside the pair to their left, rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry you had to become a victim of that unfashionable hat, Suzume."

"As am I," the redhead walking next to them on their left added.

Kankuro scoffed. "As if you inferior peasants could understand the fabulousness of my garments."

"Who are you calling a peasant, Kankuro?" Temari pinched his ear and pulled.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Uncle! Uncle, I say!"

Temari yielded and Kankuro looked less than pleased, feeling his left ear throb and swell.

"We're here," Temari announced as they arrived at an apartment building.

The wind swept dust into Suzume's eyes once she slipped off of Kankuro's back and back onto her feet, the flaps of Kankuro's hat swaying along with the breeze. She gazed up at the building, chewing her tongue in apprehension. Similar to the style throughout the village, it was adobe and plain on the outside. A few cacti placed in pots lined the area outside the building and chalk drawings made by children decorated the wall. Suzume gulped, thinking back to when the shinobi had told her about the jonin ninja.

"His name is Baki," Temari said. "He was our jonin leader when we were once a genin team."

"He's like a father to us," Kankuro grinned. "So we wanted to introduce you to him. I'm sure he would like you, jan."

"He's really watched over and taken care of us," Temari explained. "We respect him. Baki's family."

"Suzume?" Gaara called as the other two headed to the door.

"H-hai?!" Suzume answered. She began to walk, her left arm coming out with her left leg and the same for her right leg and arm. She was like a toy robot.

The Sand Siblings sweatdropped. Waa... she's really nervous...

They reached the second story and Kankuro barged right in. "We're coming in, Baki!"

"Ah, you guys are early," came a deep voice from the far corners of the apartment. "I'll be right with you. Give me a few."

The shinobi took off their shoes and made themselves at home. Kankuro crashed into the sofa and Gaara picked a book from the bookcase to flip through. Temari went into the kitchen to pour out a glass of water. Suzume, however, was glued to the doorstep.

The young girl took a sweeping look around the living space. It was humble As you walk in, the kitchen is on the right and the only thing dividing it from the living room was a counter and the kitchen sink. To the left and a few steps forward was a hallway that probably led to the bedrooms and bathroom. In the living room there was only a gray three cushioned sofa pushed against the wall and a decent sized TV across from it. A red armchair was located across a glass coffee table that was in the middle of the living room above a yellow rug. There was a large window that curved along with the corner of the building and let sun pour into the area.

It was cozy and tidy.

Temari saw that the young brunette was still hovering in the doorway and dragged her into the living room. She put her in front of an armchair, but when her sister didn't make a move to sit the blonde pointed at the ground. "Suzume, sit."

Suzume sat down and Temari waved the cup of ice water in front of her face. "Here."

"Thank you."

Right then, a tanned man decided to appear. He had full lips and a large nose, his eyes were serious and focused, seeming to be on alert at all times. He had a shaved head and surprisingly, the left side of his face was heavily scarred. Despite his stern and somewhat frightening appearance, his face broke into a genuine smile at the sight of the three shinobi.

Kankuro got to his feet and embraced the man, the pair hitting each other's backs in familiarity.

"I see you've grown since the last time I've seen you, Kankuro," Baki chuckled. "Grow anymore and I'll feel older than I already do."

Kankuro grinned. "Nice to see you, Baki."

Baki looked over Kankuro shoulder to fixate his eyes on Temari and Gaara. "The three of you in the same room together makes for far too much overpowering presence. Hm?"

The man's eyebrow arched in curiosity as he noticed Suzume. "And who might you be?"

Suzume popped onto her feet, tensed up and as stiff as a statue.

This is their father figure. This is their father figure. This is their father figure. This is their father figure. I can't mess this up. I can't mess this up.

... is probably what she's thinking... Kankuro sighed and turned back to Baki. "That's what we came to talk to you about. I'll get some refreshments ready."

. . .

Water sprayed out of Baki's mouth as he did a very well-suited spit take. "You adopted her?!"

"Yes," Gaara responded calmly. "She's our sister now."

Baki took in a breath and then let it out. He scrutinized the nervous girl before running a hand down his face. "I can't believe the rumors were true. I didn't think you three would be the type to adopt someone. I guess I was wrong."

He looked over at the young brunette again. "What's your name?"

Suzume got to her feet and bowed low to the ground. "Domo, my Suzume is name, Baki-sama!"

All the color left Suzume.

Kankuro and Temari were choking on their laughter.

The man relaxed a bit in the face of the girl's anxiety. "Suzume, huh? What a pretty name."

Suzume straightened up and her eyes were lit up in relief. "Th-thank you, sir."

Baki heaved himself onto his feet. "I have a watermelon in the fridge. Let's crack it open."

"I'll help," Temari followed after him.

Suzume let out a breath, feeling her worry dissipate. Kankuro patted the sofa between Gaara and him and Suzume took a seat in the middle of her brothers. She had to squeeze in and Kankuro lifted an arm up to place on the crest roll of the sofa to make some more room. Despite this, Suzume's shoulder still grazed Gaara's.

"You okay, now?" Kankuro asked in amusement.

Suzume nodded, yawning. She suddenly felt really tired. Gaara and Kankuro began to talk as Suzume fought against her heavy eyelids. The world around her began to blur and the voices came in and out of her hearing. She saw Temari and Baki coming back with the cut up watermelon before her head landed on Gaara's shoulder and she fell asleep.

It was dark. She didn't even know if her eyes were open. She felt disembodied and detached, her mind was strangely empty.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Voices floated in and out of her hearing. She strained her ears, feeling the familiar movement of putting one foot forward as she walked closer.

The same sardonic voice as before echoed around her. "Don't you think the fact that you're buried under the earth affects this negotiation?"

"And you seem to be forgetting that you're sealed inside a young human boy," answered a pleasant intonation, sounding like the person was grinning goofily.

The former groused under his breath, an exhale blowing past her. "I only listen to the old man, Shizen."

"You should be glad that I came here instead of Ookami," there was a pout in the latter's tone. "I'm the fun one out of our group, Shukaku."

"And yet you manage to get on my nerves a shitload more than the others."

She saw a light and the black surface beneath her feet became a lighter tint, ripples gliding across the silky surface every time the bottom of her foot touched the surface. A giant tan shaped lump materialized and she blinked, trying in vain to get her eyes to focus. And at its feet was a figure. A human? No... he's definitely not a human. He might look it, but there was something unsettling about him that made her think he wasn't.

"I refuse to follow your orders, Dragon," the animal said.

The man crossed his arms across his chest, a childish stubbornness sinking into his expression. "No, I refuse!"

"What?" the animal growled.

"I refuse your refusal," the man pointed rudely at the animal. "Even if Ookami isn't here in person you should learn to respect the elites of the Heavenly Spawn, Shukaku. I won't take no for an answer. Unless..." the air became thinner and a chill swept through out the expanse and into the man's tone. He no longer held that childish appearance. "...you want to test my patience."

Shukaku seemed to be considering the man seriously and the silence stretched. She was getting closer to the pair.

"Fine," the large beast snarled, caving. "I wouldn't have done anything anyway. Your kind always bring some sort of misfortune along with them and I want no part of it. What's going to happen with this poor whelp?"

The man heaved a wearisome sigh. "Something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But it has to be done."

"Huh?" the animal grunted, seeming to look toward her.

The man noticed that something had drawn Shukaku's attention and rotated around. She finally got a good look at the man's face. He had disheveled raven black hair and black eyes like hers. He also had a crescent shaped scar under his left eye that disrupted his smooth, fair skin. At the sight of her, the man's expression of shock lifted.

"Ah, speak of the devil," the strange person said, his mouth spreading into a dorky smile. He strolled up to her, put one hand on his hip and kept hitting her on her left shoulder with his other. "Hound's told us a lot about you! Don't worry. We'll be looking over you."

His left hand separated from his hip and it landed on her right shoulder. His forehead met with hers and she was looking into those bright pupil less eyes that resembled yet hardly resembled her own. The man's hands gripped her shoulders reassuringly. "So you can go enjoy peace for a little while longer..."

Phoenix.

Suzume's eyes snapped open and it took a while for her to register a brown haired guy and a blonde female talking animatedly across from her with a bald man who was occupying the armchair. She lifted her head, feeling unsteady and dazed.

"Awake?"

Suzume's gaze met sea green eyes that stared back. Suzume couldn't place who he was for a moment before blinking and realizing it was Gaara.

"Gaara-sama... good morning."

"Actually, it's nighttime," he said.

Suzume was astounded. Her head whipped around to check the clock and it was almost eight. Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment.

"You finally decided to wake up, jan," Kankuro teased. "You sleep more than you blink."

"It's like we adopted a sloth," Temari smirked.

"At least I know she won't cause you too much trouble if she's always sleeping," Baki joined in.

Suzume's face was glowing red. The three shinobi all began to laugh boisterously at her expression.